75 / 95

By 2050, 70% of the world population is expected to be living in cities and urban areas. Urbanisation is defining our global reality. Investing in new buildings will have a huge impact on life quality and climate change. Beside an increasing world population and energy consumption, also the carbon emissions from buildings are rising. Our sector represents 39% of global energy-related carbon emissions. BUILD BEYOND TOMORROW stands for our contribution to a better future. It requires sustainable thinking and taking action. That’s why we as WICONA reduce buildings’ operational emissions through high performance and circular products, to reshape the construction industry.

We maximise your opportunities by minimising the carbon emissions of our new products by at least 65%¹.

75 / 95 means going one step beyond. The usage of 75% recycled and 95% recyclable content² is maximising our opportunities and allows us minimising the carbon footprint of our new products. We are committed to use our resources sustainably and circularly by recycling end-of-life products in our Hydro CIRCAL aluminium, which is made with a minimum of 75% of recycled post-consumer-scrap.

Aluminium as a modern building material has an almost unlimited range of uses – functionally and economically. Aluminium can be recycled over and over again – without sacrificing quality. Our products are not just made of aluminium, they are made of sustainable, low-carbon and circular aluminium. In Europe, all our extrusion lines are ASI certified – the most internationally recognised standard to address environmental, social and governance (ESG) across the entire aluminium value chain.

This is why about 75% of all aluminum ever produced is still in use.

Our actions to go beyond materials

As a global industry leader and part of Hydro group, we take our responsibility to cut our CO2 emissions in half by 2025. Therefore, we follow our holistic approach to reduce our carbon emissions in several areas. We have the knowledge, the possibilities and resources to strive towards 100% circularity together with our customers by collecting post- and pre-consumer scrap, and our suppliers by working on new solutions for materials which are not recycled nor recyclable today.

We also take responsibility within our company by creating an engaging, inclusive and diverse working environment for our employees, who also pursue a responsible mindset in their activities. Furthermore, we take our responsibility to create a fair society by empowering 10,000 people with education and skills and working with non-governmental organisations.

Read more about BUILD BEYOND TOMORROW

Recyclability and dismantlability are key when it comes to further reducing product-related carbon emissions. We will continue to:

• Develop products that can be easily disassembled and sorted
• Develop circular products by using recycled and recyclable materials
• Embrace the challenges of the circular economy by reusing materials for the same purpose as in their first lifecycle
• Ensure our systems are produced within a responsible supply chain and certified by external organisations for maximum transparency

"WICONA is passionate about sustainability. We have made the important decision to be stronger and more unique so that our company can play the role it needs to play. I am proud that we are investing so much time, energy and money to change the market and show the industry what needs to be done. Following our journey on the path to a certified, circular economy, all of our key products will contain at least 80% recycled and 100% recyclable content within the next four years. This is an efficient and effective way to reduce the impact of materials on the life cycle of a building."

Henri Gomez - Senior Vice President, Hydro Building Systems

Let's go a step beyond. Together, we will build a world beyond tomorrow.

¹ By using our recycled and low-carbon aluminium Hydro CIRCAL which has one of the smallest CO2 footprints worldwide: 2.3 kg CO2 per kilo of aluminium – compared to the average CO2 emissions of aluminium used in Europe (8.6 kg of CO2 per kilo of aluminium – European Aluminium Association study, 2018); and by using recycled polyamide for our thermal insulation strips – compared with the insulation strips previously used, made of conventional polyamide 6.6; glazing is not included in the calculation
² Glazing not included
³ Compared to the average CO2 emissions of aluminium used in Europe (8.6 kg of CO2 per kilo of aluminium – European Aluminium Association study, 2018)